AffPapa Conference Madrid 2026 Round Up - Techie News Guru

The AffPapa Conference Madrid 2026 took place in Spain’s capital city on May 18, 19, and 20. It brought together affiliates, operators, B2B providers, and other gaming professionals across the global iGaming industry.

The conference took place at Novotel Madrid Center, and the event is one of the most important networking and business-focused gathering opportunities. With thousands of participants coming to the venue, the conference immediately proves its scale and influence in the iGaming world. AffPapa’s mission was to connect together affiliates, operators and B2B providers in one place where discussions about regulations, innovations, and industry trends can take place.

Key Discussions

There were more than 1500+ attendees with 40% affiliates, 40% operators, and 20% B2B providers from Europe, Latin American and CIS markets. Each section of the agenda required registration. The day included:

Doors opened early in the morning and everyone was welcomed inside the conference area.

The Ceo Toolkit: Scaling, Structuring & Winning in Competitive Markets

The first section was the CEO toolkit. It is powered by Partner Matrix. The moderator Richard Dennys speaks about making smarter executive decision and staying in the game in the fast moving market.

Speakers:

From Vahe Khalatyan PartnerMatrix
Martins Lasmanis from Media 24
Diana Pogodina from Notix.Games
Chlint Griscti from apidae Digital
Jenny Gonzalex from RocaHead
Alexander Bukin from refer

The Future of Operator-Affiliate Partnerships

Future operator-affiliate partnership discussion took place, where they talked about a profitable and sustainable partnership. The moderator was Nugzar Ramishvili from Wayzen.

Speakers:

Nikoleta Hristova from VegasLegends
Havard Legn from Nordic.Partners
Nemanja Lazarevic from Teamwork
Gjorgje Ristikj from LinkDataMedia
Armin Aganovic from Joelsson Media

Mexico: Reaching Market Maturity, or More to Go?

The conference continued with a review over Mexico’s growth, regulations, and market predictions. The moderator for this section was Samantha Asensi.

Speakers:

Rosa Ochoa pious Blue Global Gaming
Carlos Sanches from TipsterChat
Lucas Lebleu from Blue Bull
Ruben Guillem from Entourage Sport & Entertainment
Aviv Sher from Code Online

From Algorithms to Advantage: How AI is Reshaping Acquisition, Retention, & Risk in iGaming

After that, a conversation about AI took place. They discussed AI’s influence, how it reshapes the industry, and what risks it presents. The moderator was Viorel Stan from GSH Online Media SRL.

Speakers:

Shahar Attias from Hybrid Interaction
Assaf Steglitz from YZFOX OU
Julia Logan from AICT Media
Efe Baysal from Match2One
Frederico Camara from Alts Digital
Aris Vrakas from RankBee AI

The Tech Behind the Traffic: Next-Generation Affiliate Platforms Driving Scalable Growth

Continuing the idea of modern technologies – tech behind the traffic was discussed about platform, tracking systems, and other tools that aid industry’s growth. The moderator was Havard Lehn from Nordic.Partners.

Speakers:

Adam Rowley from Raven Track
Brendon Spiteri from Routy
Artem Butov from Marksel Ltd
Mukul Kaushik from Affnook by Trackier
John Wright from StatsDrone
Vladyslav Bondarenko from refer

Launch Fast, Scale Smart: The Strategic Future of White-Label & Turnkey Casino Markets

Powered by Vykingspeakers explored how operators can enter the market faster and reduce risk while effectively using white-label and turnkey solutions. The moderator was Artak Ashkhatoyan from Totogaming.

Speakers:

Alena Tsuranova from Megafair games
Nugzar Ramishvili from Wayzen
Jeff Letlat from Anakatech Group
Jenny Ramsteddt from TESTA
Franz Gerhard from Vyking

Likes, Leads & Loyalty: Mastering Social Media in a Highly Regulated Gaming Landscape

Then the speakers talked about regulated social media of iGaming and how to convert a viewer to a long-term user. The moderator for this section was Vitaly Balakhonov from GEARRRR.Agency.

Speakers:

Beyza Orazova from Aleph Group
Alexandra Voronetskaya from Slotegrator
Irina Veselkova from Endorphina
Julia Brzezinska from The AI Collective
Ana Kandelaki from High

Beyond 2030: The Technologies, Markets, & Models That will Defind iGaming’s Next Decade

Predictions beyond 2030 were made. Questions about new technologies, markets, and models were brought up. Rosa Ochoa from Blue Global Gaming is the moderator.

Speakers:

Ivana Milosev from Fan Rating
Bartek Borkowski from createIT
Irene Hernandez from Gataca
Iana Shulga from Semscale
Filippo Anzalone from Interactive AI

The Real Prince of Partnership: Transparency, Fees, & ROI in Affiliate-Operator-Provider Deals

Speakers broke down revenue models, real costs, and fees, and talked about how to create a transparent partnership. Armin Aganovic from Joelsson Media is the moderator for this part.

Speakers:

Andre Machado from Clever Advertising
Aleksander Dasic from Bragg
Vitalii Zalievskyi from Sleeping Games
Tamara Tsanava from Bet25
Denitsa Hadzhiivanova from Blockbuster Partners
Aleksander Brajkovski from Place Bet

Gen Z & Gen Alpha: Designing Products for the Next Player Generation

Differences between Gen Z and Gen Alpha were brought up as the new player behavior has changed. New digital habits and product design must be adapted to fit in with the younger audience’s tastes. This section’s moderator was Thomas Carvalhaes from TC Advisors.

Speakers:

Filip Koubek from Match Hype
Natalia Roitonen from XtendedGaming
Laura Gago from Bet deal
Artak Ashkhatoyan from Totogaming
Henk Wolff from iGaming Consultancy

The conference ends with informal meetings between participants and companies. It also involved a lunch break and speed-meetings between affiliates and operators.

The successful day concludes with a networking party. Industry leaders come together for drinks, conversations, and relaxing energy at La Reserva Club.

Throughout the busy day, the exhibitors introduced products and talked about possible partnerships. There was a wide range of different professionals, and attendees moved from booth to booth to get to know them.

Activities & Sponsors

The exhibition floor was one of the busiest areas, where operators, affiliates and B2B providers gather for a conference and possible partnership. Besides booths, there were interactive zones and a lunch zone where people could relax in between speeches. Informal meeting areas were the key places where strong relationships could be built behind the stage.

Sponsors maintained a strong presence across the event. All of them contributed to growing visibility and wider activities for the best experience for affiliates and operators.

Prominent sponsors were:

01.tech – headline sponsor
SPRIBE – gold sponsor
1win – silver sponsor
Jack.com – bronze sponsor
refer – networking zone sponsor
7StarsPartners – signature sponsor
Income Access – signature sponsor
50 Partners Affiliate Program – signature sponsor

AffPapa Conference Side Events

Besides the main agenda of the conference, there were side activities to keep the audience occupied and more interested.

There was a running club powered by Hybrid Interaction and organized by The Walking Spread. The morning event was guided by Shahar Attias. The participants ran through Madrid. The run started at the Novotel Madrid Center and wrapped up with a coffee session at the Religion Coffee Shop.

The padel tournament was powered by Bazoom. The quest allowed people to do something that they usually enjoy doing after work. It was a great way to bring people together before the main event started.

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium & Real Madrid Museum tour was powered by JoinAff. It gave access to behind-the-scenes access to VIP areas, exclusive player areas, locker rooms, and a visit to the Real Madrid Museum.

And Day 1 was concluded with a networking event at Teatro Magno club. Attendees had drinks, made connections, and could wind down from a busy conference schedule.

Celebrating Achievements with Awards

The conference took place in the historic Real Casino de Madrid venue that is located in the heart of Spain’s capital. It was founded in 1836 when a group of young progressives was searching for a quiet and peaceful place for gatherings. Today, the venue is considered a prestigious institution with early 20th-century palace style, majestic halls, and private salons. For large scale meetings and celebrations, the venue gives an elegant setting and mood.

The most prestigious award ceremony grants prizes to celebrate affiliates’, B2B providers’ and operators’ professional dedication. The AffPapa award winners list included: